Monjita Sarkar 
Putin landed in Beijing on an official visit to be greeted with a pompous welcome ceremony. Afterwards, the Russian President proceeded to attend talks with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi at the Great Hall of the People. Putin will also meet Chinese Premier, Li Qiang, to discuss economic cooperation between the two nations. Later, a state banquet will be hosted by Xi to mark the 25th anniversary of the bilateral treaty of friendship. The two leaders will also view a joint TASS–Xinhua photo exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of cooperation between the state news agencies.
The major talking points between the two leaders are highlighted below:
Cooperation between China and Russia:
According to President Putin, Russia and China are actively expanding ties in economy, politics and defense. He further clarified that this partnership is not about aligning against anyone, but working for the cause of universal peace and prosperity, signalling openness to the US despite tensions.
The countries are ready “to support each other on issues affecting the core interests of the two countries, including the protection of sovereignty and national unity”, Putin said.
As many as 40 agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries. Both sides committed to working together on international platforms and multilateral forums. 20 of those documents will be signed in the presence of Xi and Putin, while 20 more agreements will be announced separately. Russia will extend its policy of letting in Chinese nationals without the need for visas until the end of 2027.
Russia hopes to power its flagship GigaChat AI model with Chinese-made chips, Sberbank’s CEO said during Putin’s visit to China.
Dynamic with the US
Putin has stated that Russia is ready to work with multiple partners including the US.
A section of the joint statement by the two countries explicitly rebukes the Golden Dome missile shield defence plan and the expiry of a nuclear arms control treaty.
Without naming names, both the countries put out a joint declaration that stated that “Attempts by a number of states to unilaterally manage global affairs, impose their interests on the entire world, and limit the sovereign development of other countries, in the spirit of the colonial era, have failed.” In the past, both countries have criticized what they described as a US-led attempt to enforce global hegemony. Xi stated that both China and Russia should oppose all forms of ‘unilateral bullying’
Oil and Energy
China is Moscow’s top client for oil shipments via the sea and pipelines. Power of Siberia 1 is a major cross-border natural gas pipeline connecting Russia’s vast Siberian gasfields to China. Operational since December 2019 under a landmark 30-year, $400 billion deal, the pipeline spans thousands of kilometers and secures a vital, alternative energy trade corridor between Moscow and Beijing. The Power of Siberia 2 remains stalled indefinitely. Moscow has been long seeking this contract for the new pipeline as it would enable it to more than double the amount of natural gas it sells to China, mitigating for the lost European sales.
